Portrait of Cyrus Porter Smith,
(1800-1877); Cyrus was the paternal grandfather of Pamela Colman
Smith. A wealthy lawyer, merchant and prominent politician in
Brooklyn, New York, Cyrus was the first elected mayor of Brooklyn,
serving from 1839-1842. In the 1870 Federal Census for Brooklyn, New
York, he is enumerated as having real property worth $75,000 and
personal property of $50,000.

Photograph of the inscription on
the grave monument of Cyrus Porter Smith (1800-1877) and his wife,
Lydia Lewis Hooker (1895-1877).

Photograph of the grave monument in
Brooklyn, New York of Cyrus Porter Smith (1800-1877)and his wife,
Lydia Lewis Hooker (1895-1877).

Descendants of Samuel Smith

Generation No. 1

1.
SAMUEL1 SMITH was born Abt. 1602 in Suffolk County, England, and
died Abt. 1680 in Hadley, Massachusetts. He married ELIZABETH CHILEAB. She
was born Abt. 1602, and died Abt. 1686 in Hadley, Massachusetts.

Notes for SAMUEL SMITH:

Most of
the following information about Samuel Smith and his family were obtained
from the book entitled "Families of Ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut,
VOLUME 2" at pages 646-647:

Genealogists typically refer to him as "Lt. Samuel Smith the Fellmonger"
because it is under this name that he usually appears in the official
records of Wethersfield, Connecticut.

Samuel
Smith (age 32), his wife Elizabeth (nee Chileab) (age 32) and four children,
viz., Samuel (age 9), Elizabeth (age 7), Mary (age 4), and Philip (age 1)
arrived in Watertown, Massachusetts on the ship ELIZABETH in 1634. The adult
passengers on the ELIZABETH took the oath of Allegience and Supremacy on 12
November 1634, at the Ipswich Customs House before sailing. The master of
the ELIZABETH was a certain William Andrews.

As a "Fellmonger"
Samuel Smith was a dealer in hides and was probably a tanner.

He came
to Wethersfield, Connecticut in late 1634 or early 1635. He was the part
owner of the ship TRYAL, which was the first ship built in Connecticut
Colony.

He served
as deputy to the General Court at Hartford, Connecticut from about
1637-1656.

In about
1659 or 1660 he and his family relocated to Hadley, Massachusetts whre he
served as representative to the Colonial Legislature 1661-1673. He also
served as a Lieutenant in the militia from 1663-1678.

Samuel
Smith died in 1680, aged 78. His wife, Elizabeth, died on 16 March
1685/1686, at age 84.

(SAMUEL1)
was born 25 Nov 1632 in Suffolk, England, and died 10 Jan 1684/1685 in Hampshire,
Massachusetts. He married REBECCA FOOTE Mar 1658 in Hampshire,
Massachusetts. She was born 1634 in Hartford, Connecticut, and died 06 Apr
1701 in Hampshire, Massachusetts.

Notes for PHILIP SMITH:

Extract
taken from the book entitled "Colonial Families of the United States - The
Foote Family" as follows:

"Philip
Smith was the son of Samuel Smith, senior, one of the first settlers of
Wethersfield, merchant, and after 1659, of Hadley, (Mass.,) where he died
about the beginning of the year 1680." At Page 505 of the book, it is stated
that Lt. Phillip Smith died on 10 January 1684/1685.

Lieutenant Smith purportedly died from the effects of witchcraft! The
following is an extract from the Magnalia Christi Americana by Cotton
Mather (first published in 1702):

"Mr. Philip Smith, aged about 50 years, a son of eminently virtuous
parents, a deacon of a church in Hadley, a member of the General
Court, a justice in the County Court, a selectman for the affairs of
the town, a Lieutenant of the troop, and which crowns all, a man for
devotion, sanctity, gravity, and all that was honest, exceeding
exemplary. Such a man was in the winter of the year 1684, murdered
with an hideous witchcraft, that filled all those parts of New
England, with astonishment.

"He was, by his office concerned about relieving the indigences of a
wretched woman in the town; who being dissatisfied at some of his
just cares about her, expressed herself unto him in such a manner,
that he declared himself thenceforth apprehensive of receiving
mischief at her hands.

"About the Beginning of January he began to be very Valetudinarious,
labouring under Pains that seem'd Ischiatick. The Standers by could
now see in him one ripening apace for another World, and fill'd with
Grace and Joy to an high Degrce. He shew'd such Weanedness from and
Weariness of the Worid, that he knew not (he said) whether he might
pray for his Continuance here: And such assurance he had of the
Divine Love unto him, that in Raptures he would cry out, Lord, stay
thy hand; it is enough, it is more than thy frail Servant can bear.
But in the midst of these things he still utter'd an hard Suspicion
that the ill Woman who had threatened him, had made Impressions with
Inchantments upon him.

"While he remain'd yet of a sound Mind, he very sedately, but very
solemnly charg'd his Brother, to look well after him. Tho', he said,
he now understood himself, yet he knew not how he might be. But be
sure, (said he) to have a care of me, for you shall see strange
things. There shall be a Wonder in Hadley! I shall not be dead, when
tis thought I am! He press'd this Charge over and over; and
afterwards became Delirious; upon which he had a Speech incessant
and voluable, and (as was judg'd) in various Languages. He cry'd
out, not only of Pains, but also of Pins, tormenting him in several
parts of his Body; and the Attendants found one of them.

"In his distress he exclaimed much upon the young woman aforesaid,
and others, as being seen by him in the room. Some of the young men
in the town being out of their wits at the strange calamities thus
upon one of their most beloved neighbors, went three or four times
to give disturbance unto the woman thus complained of; and all the
while they were disturbing her, he was at ease, and slept as a weary
man; yea, these were the only times they perceived him to take any
sleep in all his illness. Gally pots of medicine provided for the
sick man were unaccountably emptied: audible scratchings were made
about the bed, when his hands and feet lay wholly still, and were
held by others. They beheld fire sometimes on the bed; and when the
beholders began to discourse of it, it vanished away. Divers people
actually felt something often stir in the bed, at a considerable
distance from the man; it seemed as big as a cat, but they could
never grasp it. Several trying to lean on the bed's head, tho' the
sick man lay wholly still, the bed would shake so as to knock their
heads uncomfortably.

"Mr. Smith dies; the jury that viewed his corpse found a swelling on
one breast, his back full of bruises, and several holes that seemed
made with awls. After the opinion of all had pronounced him dead,
his countenance continued as lively as if he had been alive; his
eyes closed as in a slumber, and his nether jaw not falling down.
Thus he remained from Saturday morning about sunrise, till
Sabbathday in the aftenoon. When those who took him out of the bed,
found him still warm, tho' the season was as cold as had almost been
known in any age; and a New England winter does not want for cold.
But on Monday morning they found the face extremely tumified and
discolored. It was black and blue, and fresh blood seemed running
down his cheek upon the hairs. Divers noises were also heard in the
room where the corpse lay; as the clattering of chairs and stools,
whereof no account could be given. This was the end of so good a
man."

Cover page from a
first edition of Cotton Mather's Magnalia Christi Americana.
It is considered to be his greatest work. The book was published in
1702, when he was 39. It is basically a history of the New England
settlements during the 17th century. Despite being Mather's most
well-known work, many modern historians consider it to be difficult
to read and understand because of its poor organization. Random
quotes in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew appear throughout. However, most
critics also praise the work, believing it to be one of the best
source documents for describing the establishment of the New England
colonies and the growth of a uniquely American society.

From the
book entitled History of Hadley by Sylvester Judd (1863):.

"Mary
Webster, the woman who disturbed Philip Smith, was sent to Boston, tried for
witchcraft, and acquitted. The young men of Hadley tried an experiment upon
her. They dragged her out of the house, hung her up until she was near dead,
let her down, rolled her some time in the snow, and at last buried her in
it, and there left her. But she survived, and died in 1696. No inhabitant of
Hampshire Co. was ever executed for witchcraft."

From
Families of Early Hartford, Connecticut by Lucius Barnes Barbour (1976):

"William
Webster s. of John & Agnes died 1688 mar Feb 17, 1670 Mary Reeve who died
1696 dau of Thomas Reeve of Springfield. Hadley; his wife was accused of
witchcraft and sent to Boston for trial 1684, but was acquitted and died in
peace."

From
Genealogies of Hadley Families by Lucius M. Boltwood:

"William
Webster was the son of the Hon. John Webster of Connecticut, a magistrate,
Deputy Governor, Governor, and one of the Commissioners of the United
Colonies. He was an influential member of the church in Hartford, took a
deep interest in the controversy which agitated that and other churches, and
was one of the leaders of the Hadley company."

(PHILIP2,
SAMUEL1) was born Jan 1658/1659 in Hadley, Massachusetts,
and died 28 Aug 1707 in East Hartford, Connecticut. He married MARY CHURCH
16 Nov 1682 in Hampshire, Massachusetts. She was born 23 Jan 1665 in
Hampshire, Massachusetts, and died 18 Jun 1700 in Hampshire, Massachusetts.

(SAMUEL3,
PHILIP2, SAMUEL1) was born 01 Jun
1702 in Hampshire, Massachusetts, and died 30 Jan 1792 in Grafton, New
Hampshire. He married ESTHER WEBSTER 1724 in Hartford, Connecticut. She was
born 23 Feb 1707 in Hartford, Connecticut, and died 09 Mar 1793 in Hanover,
New Hampshire.

(TIMOTHY4,
SAMUEL3, PHILIP2, SAMUEL1)
was born 25 Nov 1727 in East Hartford, Connecticut, and died 15 Jan 1815 in
Hanover, Grafton, New Hampshire. He married RUTH PORTER 1749 in East
Hartford, Connecticut. She was born 22 Aug 1728 in Hartford, Connecticut,
and died 05 Oct 1807.

(EDWARD5,
TIMOTHY4, SAMUEL3, PHILIP2,
SAMUEL1) was born 09 Dec 1769 in East Hartford,
Connecticut, and died 28 Feb 1851. He married HANNAH CHANDLER 06 Jul 1791.
She was born 07 Aug 1771, and died 20 Apr 1850.

Notes for EDWARD SMITH:

Most of
the data for the children of Edward Smith and Hannah Chandler were obtained
from the book entitled Families of Ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut,
VOLUME 2 at pages 646-665.

Extract from the book entitled: Sketches of the Alumni of
Dartmouth College, from the First Graduation in 1771 to the
Present Time, with a Brief History of the Institution, at page
195:

"Noah Smith, the son of Edward and Hannah (Chandler) Smith,
was born at Hanover, Mar. 8, 1794, and died at Southbury, Ct,
Oct. 10, 1830, M. 36. He studied divinity at Andover Theo. Sem.
graduating in 1821 ; was ordained pastor of the Congreg. Church
at Southbury in Oct. 1822, and died in charge. He married Laura
Parmele of Killingworth, Ct, May 21, 1820. Cyrus Porter Smith,
Dartmouth College 1824, was his brother."

(EDWARD6,
EDWARD5, TIMOTHY4, SAMUEL3,
PHILIP2, SAMUEL1) was born 05 Apr
1800 in Hanover, New Hampshire, and died 13 Feb 1877 in Brooklyn, New York.
He married LYDIA LEWIS HOOKER 06 Sep 1826, daughter of BRYAN HOOKER and
NANCY LEE. She was born 08 Aug 1805 in Bristol, Connecticut, and died 29 Apr
1877 in Brooklyn, New York.

Notes for CYRUS PORTER SMITH:

Excerpt
from book entitled A history of the city of Brooklyn, Volume 2, pages
262-263:

"Cyrus
Porter Smith, son of Edward and Hannah Smith, was born at Hanover, N. H., on
the 5th of April, 1800. His father being a farmer, Cyrus, during his
boyhood, worked on the farm, attending district schools in the winters and
gaining such an education as is usually picked up by New England boys. The
scanty lore thus obtained, however, so far from satisfying his craving for
knowledge, served only to develop an earnest desire to go to college. That
his father's slender means would not permit of this, was to the lad a matter
of regret, but not an insurmountable obstacle. A liberal education he would
have; so, after a season of preparation with his brother Noah, then in
college, he entered Dartmouth, and managed, by teaching district schools in
New Hampshire and Vermont, every winter, from the time he was eighteen years
old, to pay his way through, graduating in 1824, with honor. He then
commenced the study of law with chief justice T. S. Williams, of Hartford,
Conn., and was admitted to practice in 1827. While at Hartford, he added to
his somewhat scanty resources by teaching singing schools, during the
winters, in various portions of the state, and, during one of these
excursions in Bristol, became acquainted with the lady who subsequently
became his wife. Having now secured his collegiate and professional
education, he scanned the prospects in one part of the country and another,
and finally determined to locate in the village of Brooklyn. Neither he nor
any one else could have then anticipated the wonderful growth and prosperity
of the place, though the energy, patience and self-reliance which Mr. Smith
had already developed in securing his education would have naturally ensured
his success in almost any place where he might have settled. But here his
choice fell, and hither he came in September, 1827, from which time, until
the following April, he neither saw a client nor made a dollar, and then his
first fee was five dollars. But he would not be discouraged; and, though he
could not compel business, he made friends, who stuck by him. He connected
himself with Dr. Cox's (First Presbyterian) church, and was its chorister
from 1827 to 1859.

"During
the Jackson presidential campaign of 1828, also, he came into public notice
as an active whig. From 1833 to 1835 he was the clerk of the village board
of trustees; and corporation counsel of the new city, from 1835 to 1839,
enjoying, also, by this time, a practice equal to that of any lawyer in the
city. In 1839, as we have seen, he was chosen mayor by the aldermen, the
fourth which the city had had; and, at the first election by the people, in
1840, was chosen again, holding the office until 1842, a period, in all, of
three years and four months. He was supervisor in the years 1836 and 1837;
and, in 1848, for the purpose of furthering the establishment of a company
to supply the city with gas, sought and obtained an election as alderman
from the Third ward, and, to his efforts in the public councils and with
private capitalists, was largely due the successful inception of Brooklyn's
first gas company. Becoming interested, at an early period of his residence
here, in the public schools (then under the care of school commissioners),
he subsequently became a most active and influential member of the board of
education, and was its president for the long period of twenty-one years.
The whole vast system of public education in Brooklyn, including, at
present, thirty-six schools, attended by 60,000 children, at an annual cost
of half a million of dollars, was put into practical operation during Mr.
Smith's official connection, and when, in March, 1868, after thirty years
connection with the cause of public education, he retired from office and
from the board, his associates took occasion to offer their personal and
official testimony to his long and important services.

"In 1856
and '57, Mr. Smith represented the city in the state senate, where he held
the position of chairman of the committee on commerce and navigation, to
which was entrusted the important duty of definitely establishing the shore
lines of the cities of New York and Brooklyn. In all that pertained to the
ferry communication between these two cities, Mr. Smith always took a deep
interest; and, at an early day, he became one of the associates of the Union
Ferry Company, of which, since 1855, he has been managing director,
superintending its vast interests with rare skill and fidelity.

"In
January, 1869, Mr. Smith was appointed the acting presidency of the Brooklyn
City Rail Road Company, with which he has been connected for some years;
and, thus, may be said, to hold in his grasp, at the present time, the
combined management of the two most important interests of Brooklyn, viz :
its means of egress and ingress, and its facilities of local travel and
transportation; interests, we may add, which find their surest guaranty in
the admirable and comprehensive executive abilities which he has always
displayed in every position of public trust.

"In the
year 1839, during his first term of mayoralty, Mr. Smith, in connection with
the late Gen. Robert Nichols, established a city hospital which, under his
fostering care, became the present Brooklyn City Hospital,1 and has ever
proved himself to this, as to other beneficent institutions, a most steady,
influential and effective friend.

"Few men,
as will be seen from this brief sketch, have been more conspicuous in
promoting the welfare and progress of Brooklyn, during the most important
period of its growth and development (1830-1869) than Uncle Cyrus, as he is
respectfully called by many of his oldest fellow citizens, and by thousands
of the public school children who have grown up around him to positions of
usefulness and trust. Never presumptuous in seeking public positions, but
always faithful in the discharge of their duties, he has made a lasting
impress upon his day and generation, and has secured the approbation of all
wtto knew him."

THe
following is an excerpt from the book entitled Sketches of the Alumni of
Dartmouth College by the Reverend George T. Chapman:

"Cyrus
Porter Smith, the son of Edward and Hannah (Chandler) Smith, was born at
Hanover, Apr. 5, 1800. He taught at Bristol, Ct; read law at the same time
with the Hon. Timothy Pitkin of Farmington, Ct, 1 year; then with the Hon.
Thomas Scott Williams and the Hon. William Wolcott Ellsworth of Hartlbrd,
Ct, 2 years; began practice at Brooklyn, N. Y. in Sept. 1827; was the Clerk
and Atty of its corporation from May 1832, and its Counsel from May 1838;
was Mayor of the city in 1839, 1840, 1841, and 1842 ; Master in Chancery
from 1842 to 1844; also State Senator from Jan. 1856 to Jan. 1858; has been
from 1851 Counsel and managing Director of the Union Ferry Co. between New
York and Brooklyn cities. He married Lydia Lee, dau. of Bryan Hooker of
Bristol, Sept. 6, 1826. Noah Smith, D. C. 1818, was his brother."

The following obituary appeared in the Brooklyn Standard
Union newspaper for 5 May 1907:

"William C. SMITH, son of the late Cyrus Porter SMITH,
Brooklyn's fourth Mayor, died last Friday night at his home, 136
Argyle road, Flatbush. He was in his sixty-fifth year [sic] and
a life long resident of Brooklyn. Mr. SMITH served in the Civil
War with the Twenty-third New York Regiment, as a member of the
Brooklyn Club and several other organizations, and the First
Presbyterian Church. A widow, Ruth YERBY, one daughter, Mrs.
Sterling PETERS, and one son, Russell, survive him. The funeral
services will be held tomorrow night at his late home and
interment will be made at Greenwood Cemetery under the direction
of Undertaker Joseph BISHOP, of 85 Henry street. Mr.
SMITH's father was the first Mayor elected in Brooklyn by the
suffrages of the people. He was also the first corporation
counsel of Brooklyn and for many years was acting president of
the Brooklyn City Railroad."

[Comment: If he was in his 65th year, a birth year of 1842 is
indicated. However, the 1870 Federal Census indicates that he
was then 35 years old - indicating a birth year of 1835.]

(CYRUS PORTER7,
EDWARD6, EDWARD5, TIMOTHY4,
SAMUEL3, PHILIP2, SAMUEL1)
was born 27 May 1846 in Brooklyn, New York, and died 01 Dec 1899 in
Brooklyn, New York. He married CORINNE COLMAN 28 Sep 1870 in New York,
daughter of SAMUEL COLMAN and PAMELA CHANDLER. She was born 04 Jul 1834 in
Portland, Maine, and died 1896 in Saint Andrew, Jamaica.

Notes for CHARLES EDWARD SMITH:

Source
for date of birth: book entitled The Descendants of Rev. Thomas Hooker,
Hartford, Connecticut, 1586-1908.

Charles
Edward Smith's obituary appeared in the New York Times for 3 Dec 1899 as
follows:

"SMITH -
On Friday, Dec 1 at his residence in New York City, Charles Edward Smith,
son of the late Cyrus P. Smith of Brooklyn, in the 53rd year of his age.
Funeral services will be held at the residence of his brother-in-law, Willis
L. Ogden, 73 Pierrepont St., Brooklyn. on Sunday, Dec 3, at 2:30 o'clock."